By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-09-06 05:25:54 | Word Count: 664
Most people do not realize what causes back and chest pain. Muscle strain, nerve damage and other conditions in the middle and upper back can also cause pain in the chest area. No matter what your age, occupation or lifestyle, chest pain is a symptom that should always be taken seriously. Chest pain no matter what the cause is a sign of a potential serious health problem and see your doctor immediately if you are experiencing pain in your chest.
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There are many different causes of back and chest pain and one of the most common is a pinched nerve in the middle or upper spine. We have all heard of a herniated disc, muscle spasms and bone spurs and in the medical world they are referred to spinal stenosis. Spinal nerves that are compressed cause back and chest pain and can cause a reduction in the nerve signal that reaches the organs that are served by that nerve. If the nerve goes to the lungs or the heart, back and chest pain will occur and it can become very serious.
Some of the other causes of back and chest pain are severe muscle strain in the back leading to sympathetic pain to develop in the chest area. When you traumatize or injure, or strain your major muscles in the back, it can affect neighboring muscle groups. Strained muscles in the back or shoulder often cause heaviness and pain in the upper chest. Pneumonia is another cause of back and chest pain. Your lungs are inflamed and the constant coughing is hurting the chest area while you may feel sharp pain in the upper back. Pain is caused to the diaphragm muscles and other tendons surrounding the rib cage. These muscles can cause chest and back pain in a rather large area of the body.
If you are experiencing any types of digestive problems such as indigestion, acid reflux and heartburn this can cause back and chest pain. An ulcer can cause severe burning pain in the chest and are quite often very painful, and it is important to remember that you should never disregard any pain near your heart and lung.
What causes of back and chest pain, due to known or unknown back conditions are common and over 70% of patients that complain of back pain have also experienced pain in another part of their body, such as the chest area. Causes for back and chest pain vary. If you are feeling any back pain accompanied by chest pain you should make sure that you take an active stance in your good health to be thoroughly checked out by your physician. If the injury is muscular, no need to worry, it will most likely heal itself in a rather short period of time. If the cause of the back and chest pain is something more serious, rest assured that your physician will be able to provide you with all the answers to a quick and speedy recovery.
